The invention relates to preparing therapeutic effervescent compositions for inhalation.
Essential oils and other aromatic materials have been used for centuries as aromatherapy agents. Eucalyptus oil, for example, has been used for relief from nasal congestion and as an expectorant. Menthol is often employed for its perceived cooling effects on the body and nasal passages.
Menthol and eucalyptus oil are often combined for use in aromatherapy and the combination takes a variety of forms. In one form, menthol and eucalyptus oil are combined with other ingredients in a petroleum base to form a vaporizing ointment, one example of which is a product that is commercially available under the trade designation VICKS VAPORUB. Eucalyptus oil and menthol have also been combined with a maltodextrin base and then formulated with other components into tablets that effervesce when placed in water.
Forming tablets of effervescent compositions that includes oils can lead to the release of chunks of the tablet as the tablet degrades in water. Many times the chunks do not fully dissolve. In addition, as the effervescent tablets degrade, an aesthetically undesirable residue (e.g., scum) can form on the surface of the water. The residue often includes oil, particulate, and, depending on the formulation of the effervescent composition, plant matter.